Written by Harley Teagle, Supported Employment Coach

Youth Employment Week is all about supporting young people to access opportunities and build their futures through work. But when we talk about youth employment, are young people with learning disabilities and autism always part of that conversation? 

At Ready, Willing and Able, we support adults aged 18 and over with learning disabilities or autism to find and keep paid employment. We know how much having a job can mean to someone, and it's not just about earning money - employment can increase confidence, independence, and social connections, and provide a real sense of belonging. 

The reality is that many of the people we support want to work but face barriers that others don't. Recruitment processes can be inaccessible, employers may not know what support is available, and people are sometimes judged on assumptions rather than their skills and potential. 

This is especially important when we look at the growing number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). 

Young people with learning disabilities are more likely to face barriers when leaving education, yet they are often left out of discussions that could lead to solutions. 

That's where supported employment, like SeeAbility's Ready, Willing and Able programme, can make a real difference. By providing personalised support and working closely with employers, supported employment helps people find jobs that match their skills and interests, while giving employers the confidence to create inclusive workplaces. 

One thing we see time and time again is that people thrive when they are given the opportunity. Too often the focus is on what someone might struggle with, rather than what they can bring to a role. 

When employers are willing to look beyond assumptions, great things can happen. 

As we mark Youth Employment Week, we'd like to see more focus on ensuring young people with learning disabilities and autism are included in plans for the future workforce. They have skills, ambitions and plenty to offer. What they need now is the same thing everyone else does: the opportunity to show what they can do. 

At RWA, we're fortunate to see the positive impact of employment every day. The challenge now is making sure more young people have access to those opportunities from the start.